Amid relentless protests and rising public outcry, Puducherry government has dropped the plan of prescribing a dress code in the form of over-coats for girls, which it believed would prevent sexual crimes.

ACCORDING TO Puducherry government, the pattern of uniform of girl students would remain the same as of previous years. The new dress code for girl students was mooted in the wake of the recent incident of alleged abduction and rape of a minor girl in Puducherry. The opposition parties are demanding CBI probe into the incident and have opposed the new dress code.

In
Focus

Of late, many political leaders and conservative religious leaders had been suggesting a dress code for women. They had been suggesting that women who dress provocatively cause men's morals to hit low leading to sexual assaults on them (women).

But, even women who wear salwar kameez and saris also get raped indicating dress code is not going to make a difference. The crime of sexual assaults on women is the outcome of criminal mind-sets.

Many think that dress code will provide more challenge to rapists since when restrictions are imposed; it leads to stronger temptations among criminals to carry out their acts.

Ordering a dress code for women is like putting the blame on women for inviting rapes rather than criminals owning up to their unlawful actions.

Rather than dictating a dress code for women to 'escape rapes', government should do their duty properly to curb the crime of sexual attacks on women.

Do these politicians and religious leaders wish to wrap Indian women in reams of cloth and chastity belts to prevent sexual attacks?